About me. Introduction to Higher Education: Choosing University Courses & Places 14/11/2016. Dan Flanagan. BA (Hons) Geography 2015.

Transcription

1 Introduction to Higher Education: Choosing University Courses & Places Dan Flanagan UK Student Recruitment & Outreach About me Dan Flanagan Picture/pictures of you BA (Hons) Geography 2015 Merseyside Bowland College Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society 1

2 Contents Why University? Choosing a Course Researching Universities Applying to University Why University? New Experiences Unlimited Academic Possibilities Independence and Freedom Meet New People Most exciting time of your life? An Investment for the Future Great Graduate Job/Career prospects 2

3 Researching Universities & Courses +370 HE Institutions choosing the right University +37,000 Courses finding the right course Choosing a Course 3

4 Choosing a Course Where to start? What is your favourite subject at Sixth Form/College? What subject have you been most successful in? What interests you most? What job do you want after university? Choosing a Course Traditional Courses - English - Mathematics - Sciences - Geography - Art Courses often unavailable in Further Education - Accounting - Engineering - Philosophy - Linguistics 4

5 Choosing a Course Specialised Subjects - American Studies - Entrepreneurship - Consultancy - Pollution Science Combined subjects - Management & Languages - Politics & Economics - Design & Marketing Higher or lower? How many U.K institutions offer these courses? Medicine 34 American 18Studies Business 124Studies Geography 74 5

6 What should I study to get a job? Which of these subjects has the highest% of students gaining Employment upon Graduating? (Telegraph) Biological Engineering 85.4% 87.1% Sciences 88.6% Law Languages 86% What should I study to get highly paid? Which of these subjects has the higheststarting graduate average wage upon graduating? Biological Engineering 27,432 20,094 Sciences 19,699 Law Languages 20,171 6

7 What can I do with a degree in? Art: television, arts admin, web page design, tourism Biochemistry: forensic science, management, IT, sales Biology: environmental consultancy, finance, marketing Geography: journalism, banking, accountancy, law, sales History: law, finance, IT, management, computing Law: accountancy, banking, the media, industry, sales Languages: law, tourism, civil service, diplomatic service, translation Researching Universities 7

8 Home or Away Home Away Comfort Zone Student Experience Family Support Independence & Freedom Cooking & Cleaning Better Job Prospects Cheaper Living Costs? Cheaper Living Costs? A Campus or City University City Campus Amenities & Services Community & Safety Independence & Freedom Self-contained More Part-time Jobs? More Part-time Jobs? 8

9 Researching Universities Home or Away? Campus or City? University League Tables Entry Requirements (A Level, BTEC, IB, Scottish Highers etc.) Student Satisfaction Ratings (NSS) Opportunity for a Placement Year or Study Abroad/ Industry links University Facilities Accommodation University League Tables Key Points Independent sources of information Looks at both universities and departments A good way to refine your choice of university However Different tables measure university performance using different criteria- Keep this in mind! 9

10 Entry Requirements Different universities require different entry tariffs to study their courses Traditional qualifications or UCAS points? Require an interview? Are specific qualifications needed? Studied at the same sitting? Student Satisfaction Independently rated by students for students A good overview of student opinions on various aspects of an institution Shows satisfaction with institutions as a whole & within departments The survey consists of 23 questions, covering: Teaching Academic support Learning resources Overall satisfaction 10

11 Years Abroad/ Links with Industry Does the institution offer years abroad/ in industry? What time periods are offered. A vacation, term or year? What relationships with partner institutions and businesses does the university hold? How many options are there to go abroad/ go into industry? University Facilities Different universities have different facilities, it s worth investigating! 24/7 facilities? Specialist equipment? Will you have access to specialist facilities? Any extra costs or are these covered by the university? 11

12 University: Home or Away? Students who leave home get the best jobs Students who stay at home choose from a limited selection. They should select the course that best suits their interests, not the best locally available Students who study away from home have better job prospects graduates who attend a local university are less likely to move and find work Graduates who migrate earnmorethan those employed in their home region Accommodation What type of accommodation do you require? Private accommodation or university owned? Shared facilities or en-suite? What price range are you looking at? The location of the accommodation Does the university guarantee you accommodation in your first year? 12

13 Researching Universities Top Tip: Make sure you visit as many of the universities you are interested in as possible! (At least your potential Firm and Insurance Choices) - Visiting a university is the best way to get a feel for it! - All the research in the world cant make up for actually being there - Open Days/Applicant Visit Days are a great way to see what it is like to be a student at that university Applying to University 13

14 UCAS Universities & Colleges Admissions Service Register with UCAS+ apply for entry Add up to 5 Universities (4 for some courses) Universities typically offer places on a conditional basis, providing you meet certain grade requirements when results are released (UCAS Course Search is also the place to find out if which courses are on offer at the different universities) Applying to University Applying to University is a competitive system: For 2014 UCAS received: - 580,000 applications - 401,540 got a place For 2015 Lancaster received: - 20,072 applications -3,480 got a place It s not just about grades! 14

15 Applying to University What are admissions tutors looking for when they make an offer? Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Your personal details Your chosen courses Your qualifications Grades obtained Predicted grades Your personal statement Your reference UCAS Timeline October 15 th 2016 DEADLINE: Oxford and Cambridge Applications Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science January 15 th 2017 DEADLINE: All courses (except some Art & Design) 15

16 UCAS Timeline March 31 st 2017 Universities make their decision on all applications submitted by January 15 th Early May 2017 You decide on your 2 choices: CF Conditional Firm (1 st Choice) CI Conditional Insurance (2 nd Choice) An Ideal timeline: Lower Sixth Now Decide on criteria for choosing Start researching universities June Visit a HE convention Investigate finance July August Draw up a short list of courses Draw up a short list of universities Visit Universities Look at 16

17 An Ideal timeline: Upper Sixth October- January November- April Complete your online UCAS Application Attend applicant days/ interviews Receive conditional offers May August Decide firm choice university Decide insurance choice university Get your results Clearing & Adjustment if needed Final Considerations Decide what you re looking for The best academic course? The biggest city? The best nightlife? The safest campus? The best sporting facilities? The highest ranked university? Identify what is most important to you and try to find the best match! Get information from various sources Be wary of different sources as often they will portray different things. Ensure when researching institutions, you get information from at least two separate places 17

18 Ultimately University will be what you make of it So make the most of it and enjoy it! Thanks for Listening. Any Questions? Dan Flanagan UK Student Recruitment & Outreach Open Days 18 th June 9 th July 3 rd September 18